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Clarke is the founder and owner of the Clarke Allen Group, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. His entrepreneurial spirit and restless creativity propelled Clarke to open several businesses, becoming one of the most respected event design and production companies on the east coast. Clarke is known for his ability to build client relationships and vendor partnerships.

Clarke was recognized early for his ability to sell an entire experience instead of merely a hotel room. Knowing little about starting a business, his strong passion and grit led him to founding a series of businesses over the last 21 years. In 2000 Clarke decided to co-locate his two companies, Charlotte Arrangements and Creatrix and decided to develop an old warehouse in the NoDa neighborhood. In 2005 after purchasing an additional 3 acres he designed and build CenterStage@NoDa. In 2013, Clarke pulled all his companies together under the flagship Clarke Allen®, an award winning, multi-million dollar company producing over 250 programs each year. His impressive reputation has attracted clients such as the Carolina Panthers, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Samaritan’s Feet International, Preston Bailey, David Tutera, Will Ferrell, the Steve Smith Family Foundation, the late Dr. Maya Angelou, and Oprah Winfrey.

Clarke is the author of The Inevitable Box: A Quest for Significance, which details his road to self awareness and enhanced emotional intelligence learned while facing the lowest moment of his life and then fighting to overcome traits that affected him personally and professionally. The goal in writing this book is to challenge readers to reach beyond boundaries of their comfort zone as it compels people to confront the fears keeping you from experiencing the destiny that is inevitable in everyone’s lives.

Clarke has been speaking to corporations, organizations and industry partners for the past 16 years sharing his proven method of personal change management and his knowledge of the event industry. His areas of interest are: leadership development, change management and methodology, people management, emotional intelligence, convention and meeting event development, creativity and design, event creation and the stakeholders.

When Clarke is not planning jaw-dropping events and unparalleled experiences, you can find him at home cooking up a gourmet meal, checking out the local breweries in Charlotte, working out, or finding his Zen in yoga class. As always, the driving force and source of inspiration behind all he does are his two sons, Carson and Cooper.

Please join your friends from the Business Leaders of Charlotte on the third Tuesday of every month minus December and a short summer hiatus. You will enjoy local leaders of the Charlotte community and have the opportunity to ask direct questions. Past speakers have included Peter Gorman, Anthony Foxx, Jennifer Roberts, Chief Monroe, Chief Putney, Sue Myrick, Danny Morrison, and Sheriff Carmichael.